, 1887-04-07
Premeditated Attempt tn Murder

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Premeditated Attempt to Murder,
At ten minutes of o'clock this after.
noon, Samuel w. Wall entered the
business room of the News Office. He
was pale in the face, deliberate in
manner, suave in expression. He re.
quired of Mr.. w. A. Berry, one of the
proprietors, "Is Mr.. Harcourt in?'
meaning the editor. Mr.. Berry said
Eyes" and opening the door leading to
the editorial room, pointed TO Mr.
Harcourt, who was seated at his table
buisily engaged in writing. Mr.. Berry
then resumed his talk with Mr.. Stuart
Rice, who happened to be in the of
flee.
Mr.. Wall approached the editor-in-
chief and said, sis this Mr.. Harcourt?"
The latter replied, Eyes sir that is my
name."
"My name is WALL" said the other.
"Yes," said Mr.. Harcourt. 81 have
heard of you"
"Well,' returned Wall, Thave come
up to kill you"
Mr.. Harcourt laughingly replied, II
hardly thought that"
ayes sir" said Wall al have come
up here to shoot you. If you have
any preparations to make you'd better
make them.''
Mr.. Boise, the city editor, who was
seated at his table opposite that OF Mr..
Harcourt said, "here, Wall, none Of
that"
Without further ado he drew %
calibre pistol from his right hand over
coat pocket, and presenting it at the
breast of Mr.. Harcourt, fired just as
the latter rose from his seat. The
bullet struck just over the heart, pen
etrating the coat and vest and striking
glance blow upon the steel lined
pendant of the necktie.
Mr.. Boise instantly sprung from his
seat and grasped Wall, catching hold
of the pistol. Mr.. Mcintyre, the fore
man, ran into the editorial room was
also grabbed Wall. The pistol and
again fired the ball striking the right
hand of Mr.. Boise in the tleshy portion
of the thumb, shatteIing the thumb
bone and lodging near the base of the
forefnger, from which place the bullet
was cut by surgeons.
In the struggle Mr.. VIM. Mcintyre
wrested the pistol from Wall. The
latter then attempted to break from
the room. He was confronted by Mr..
Berry who had seized the first weapon
that was handy. 1t was the window
curtain roller. Mr.. Berry knocked
Wall down to the floor, but Mr.. Nc
Inryre grabbed Berry and implored
him not to hurt Wall. This gave him.
an opportunity to get to the stairway,
Berry then struck Wall with the stick
the latter dashed down, with Mr., Berry
after him, laying on the stick every
chance he had, following Wall to the
office of his friend, G. f. Hauke, who
stood apparently to welcome him
from his murderous assault. In front
OF the opera house Wall was knocked
into the gutter by Mr.. Berry who con-
tinued his blows until interfered with
by the crowd Chief of Police Nc
Kay was quickly on hand and arrested
both Wall and Berry. The former
was placed for safe keeping in the
county jail pending II hearing before
Justice Senter, as Mr.. Boise was then
in the surgeons hands and could not
be present.
A few items OF personal history are
apropos here. Mr.. Wall first located
in Tacoma about two years ago, and
was for time employed by the News
in reporting the territorial legislative
proceedings at Olympia when in ses-
sion. Afterwards he was city editor OF
the Ledger Of this city, and continued
as such until the Evening Telegraph
was started by Il. f. Radebaugh with
the avowed purpose OF destroying the
business of the News. He then ac-
cepted the editorshipof the Telegraph,
and remained its editor until it grace
fully fizzled out. He afterwards loaied
about town, waiting for Mr.. Rade-
baugh to return from the east, to re-
instate him on the Ledger. In the
meantime he was employed by the
Post-Intelligencer of Seattle, persum-
ably as correspondent, but really to
vilify Tacoma in the interest of Seattle
boomers. His false statements having
some effect upon those persons who
were ignorant OF the real facts, the
News came 70 the rescue, and charged